Pressure mounts on South Africa to sever ties with Israel, expel diplomats

South African authorities are facing mounting pressure to sever ties with Israel and expel Israeli diplomats, amid growing outrage over its genocide by starvation campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Several activists told Middle East Eye that they had intensified their campaign to end what they called South Africa's complicity in Israel's war on Gaza, where more than 200,000 Palestinians have been killed or wounded and the entire population is facing famine.

Zukiswa Wanner, a writer and activist, said that many South Africans had thought Pretoria's decision to take Israel to the International Court of Justice in late 2023 would result in a swift end to the 22-month conflict, but Israel, with full Western backing, continued its war on the enclave.

"Almost two years later, Israel has not relented and we continue seeing the horror visited on the Palestinians," Wanner told MEE.

"As individuals, we are all quite powerless on pushing the stop of the genocide - but as citizens - we can demand of our government that they finalise this small thing: South Africa can't be having normal relations with an abnormal, genocidal government."

Since Israel went to war on Gaza, only Bolivia and Belize have severed diplomatic relations with Israel. At various points, the Muslim majority countries of Bahrain, Chad, Jordan and Turkey have withdrawn their ambassadors, but all still maintain diplomatic ties with Israel.

For its part, South Africa hasn't had an ambassador in Israel since 2018. But activists say the country needs to take stronger action against Israel.

'South Africa can't be having normal relations with an abnormal, genocidal government'

- Zukiswa Wanner

Many South Africans told MEE that they were extremely disappointed with Cyril Ramaphosa's government's decision to ignore parliament's November 2023 decision to sever ties with Israel.  

"Other countries have disengaged with Israel without the fanfare we brought to the table," Wanner added.

This week, a petition created by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), urging the government to shutter the Israeli embassy had secured several thousand signatures.

"You have rightly brought a case of genocide against Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), so you have determined Israel is committing genocide. How then can we continue to have diplomatic and economic relations with that genocidal state?" the petition said.

'Block the Boat'

Across South Africa, frustration over Israel's war on Gaza and brutal occupation of the West Bank have triggered several small scale protest actions at traffic lights, and outside embassies and ports.

This week, activists in the port city of Durban mobilised over reports that a ship travelling via South Africa to Israel was carrying cargo that may be used in the war on Gaza.

Local activists were alerted by the South African BDS coalition that the vessel, originating from Chennai, India, was carrying "dangerous goods".  

With India having previously sent combat drones, as well as batches of explosives and components to Israel, the activists said they were compelled to act to prevent Durban from becoming a conduit for murdering Palestinians.

Hundreds of South Africans mobilised online, reached out to local and national representatives and the police, calling for the ship to be inspected and for Pretoria to uphold its obligations in international law. 

As a founding member of The Hague Group, South Africa has pledged its intention to prevent the supply of arms to Israel.

It has also committed to preventing the docking of vessels which may be used to transport fuel and arms to Israel. 

On Thursday, activists reported that following an inspection by police, the vessel was found to have not been in possession of any material that may be used to violate human rights, but lauded both the community and authorities for complying with their requests to have the vessel checked.

"We will continue to carry through with this 'Block the Boat - Durban' campaign, because we know that our port could be used for transporting of goods destined for Israel," Lubna Nadvi with the KwaZulu-Natal Palestine Solidarity Forum (PSF), told MEE.

Nadvi said the group was also monitoring the transportation of coal from Richards Bay Port - the other major port in KwaZulu-Natal - and would be picketing outside the port terminal in the coming days.

"There are multiple campaigns that we are undertaking. The fact that this tip-off came through means that there is a very vigilant international network keeping an eye out. And the fact that nothing was found is good, and we need to be vigilant that no such items will be traveling through any one of our ports," Nadvi added.

The South African Police Services did not immediately respond to MEE's request for comment.